Coffee oil, obtained from both raw and roasted coffee beans, is a vegetable oil used in various applications. It can be extracted from the beans and used as an ingredient in cosmetic products for its beneficial properties. In addition, coffee oil is found in small concentrations in the beverage itself, contributes to the taste and is a component of the crema in espresso. The oil can also accumulate in the seals of coffee machines or pots. In terms of food use, coffee oil is used sparingly due to its high toxicity. However, it is used in sunscreens and body lotions, providing light sun protection and increasing skin hydration.
Coffee oil has different properties depending on the type of beans used. Oil obtained from roasted beans is green to dark brown in colour, while oil obtained from unroasted beans is light brown to yellowish in appearance. It is worth noting that coffee oil contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acid residues. The shelf life of coffee oil extracted from coffee beans is about one year. If you want to make coffee oil at home for seasoning food, grind about 50 mg of coffee beans coarsely and mix them with slightly heated olive oil. After letting the mixture steep for about 24 hours, filter out the solids and pour the oil into a bottle. When used for cooking, the homemade oil goes well with fish, seafood, vegetables, white meat and mushrooms. However, it is recommended to add the oil only towards the end of the cooking process, as a longer cooking time or high temperatures can lead to bitter flavours.
